Stakes high as conservationists meet in Mexico

By Gessa Simplicious
After the successful Johannesburg CITES COP17 conference on international wildlife trade policy that underscored the ecological importance of pangolins, parrots and other species by banning trade in these species through Appendix I listing, conservation in Uganda has yet another chance to take giant benefit strides. Between, December 4-17, 2016, the conservation fraternity across the world will descend on the Mexican city Cancun for high-level policy meetings and negotiations for biodiversity protection. This meeting, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP13 has outstanding implications for future finance and policy directions in relation to biodiversity conservation including wildlife.
This important convention is a platform to lobby and negotiate for funding from developed countries to support habitats on the priority list. Previously such negotiations have resulted in the signing of key protocols like the Nagoya Protocol which allows for equitable benefit sharing of biodiversity resources and the Cartagena Protocol that protects our biodiversity and agriculture from being exposed to GMOs that could impact our precious resources. These protocols have been successful in guiding resource access to communities with an emphasis on economic benefits for citizens around protected areas.
See more at: http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1441481/stakes-conservationists-meet-mexico